Abstract
Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the survival and initial growth, in the field, of eucalyptus seedlings produced in different substrates. Eucalyptus benthamii seedlings produced in 36 substrates were evaluated in the field. The substrates consisted of mixtures, at different volumetric proportions, of: carbonized rice husk, charcoal with granulometry between 1.0-3.0 mm, charcoal with granulometry between 3.0-5.0 mm, coconut fiber, semi-decomposed pine bark, fine vermiculite, sewage sludge, and peat moss. At 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after planting, survival, height, and diameter were determined. At 24 months after planting, height increment, diameter increment, transversal area, and basal area were also measured. The seedlings that showed 100% survival after 24 months under field conditions were those grown in the nursery in substrates with a higher proportion of fine vermiculite, sewage sludge, and peat moss, that is, in substrates with a higher microporosity. However, there is no effect of substrate characteristics on seedling initial growth in the field. A significant correlation is observed between the survival of seedlings at 6 months and their diameter at the end of the nursery period, evidencing the importance of this characteristic for the establishment of the plant in the field, regardless of the used substrate.
Highlights
Brazil is known worldwide for its excellence in the production of wood biomass, which is the result of favorable environmental conditions (Eufrade Junior et al, 2016) and a management capable of boosting forest research, based on a broad genetic base and breeding programs (Menucelli et al, 2019)
At the same evaluation time, 100% survival was observed for seedlings grown in 10CRH/90FV, 90SS/10PB, 10C1/90PM, and 50C2/50PM
Seedling morphological characteristics at the time of field planting directly affected their diameter at 24 months; substrate characteristics did not affect the initial growth of the seedlings
Summary
Brazil is known worldwide for its excellence in the production of wood biomass, which is the result of favorable environmental conditions (Eufrade Junior et al, 2016) and a management capable of boosting forest research, based on a broad genetic base and breeding programs (Menucelli et al, 2019). The industry that drives the country’s bioenergetic production focuses on a set of genetic materials of the genus Eucalyptus (Cavalett et al, 2018) This genus, due to its rapid growth, adaptability, and wood quality, is widely planted to obtain wood products (Dias Júnior et al, 2016). For this reason, the commercial plantations of Eucalyptus spp. have expanded beyond the traditional producing regions, especially to Southern and Southeastern Brazil. The commercial plantations of Eucalyptus spp. have expanded beyond the traditional producing regions, especially to Southern and Southeastern Brazil In these two regions, the expansion is attributed to the advance in the selection and consequent recommendation of Eucalyptus species resistant to climatic variations (Elli et al, 2019) and with a higher productivity than the genus Pinus. It is necessary to pay attention to variations in the physicochemical properties of the formulated substrates, which differ as to their origin, production method, and proportions of used materials (Kratz & Wendling, 2016; Mieth et al, 2019)
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